Lenses of ‘smart’ sunglasses can change color on demand.Get
ready for the coolest, most colorful shades on the planet: Chemists at
the University of Washington in Seattle say they are developing ‘smart’
sunglasses that will allow the wearer to instantly change the color of
their lenses to virtually any hue of the rainbow by tuning a control
knob on the glasses. The research will be presented in March at the
American Chemical Society national meeting in Chicago. (Courtesy of University of Washington and Chunye Xu)

Release: Contrast agent puts new light on diagnosing breast cancer
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, March 26, 10:00 a.m., Central Time
Hydroxyapatite
crystals (pseudo-colored in purple), like those found in human breast
cancer, are detected with high sensitivity using an optical contrast
reagent and invisible near-infrared fluorescent light.
Scientists in the laboratory of Dr. John Frangioni, M.D., Ph.D.,
associate professor of medicine and radiology at Harvard Medical
School, have developed a contrast agent that selectively targets and
highlights malignant micro-calcifications in the breast, while ignoring
similar micro-calcifications found in benign breast conditions. The
new, simpler way to detect malignant tumors will be described in March
at the 233rd national meeting of the American Chemical Society in
Chicago. (Photo courtesy of Dr. John Frangioni)

Release: MRI contrast agent can detect heart attack in the making
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, March 27, 8:00 p.m., Central Time
An imaging-enhancement technique improved cholesterol detection by 79 percent in animal studies. Scientists at New
York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center and the New York University
School of Medicine have developed a new imaging technique that allows
physicians to peer directly into patients' blood vessels and find
dangerous cholesterol-filled plaques before they rupture and cause a
heart attack. In animal tests, the new technique improved cholesterol
detection by 79 percent. The research will be presented in March at the
American Chemical Society national meeting in Chicago.(Reprinted with permission from Nano Letters, 2006; 6(10) pp 2220 -2224. Copyright 2006 American Chemical Society)

Release: MRI contrast agent can detect heart attack in the making
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, March 27, 8:00 p.m., Central Time
Schematic of a new
heart disease contrast agent — a disc-like structure with 37pA peptides
on the outside of a phospholipids bilayer. Scientists
at New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center and the New York University
School of Medicine have developed a new imaging technique that allows
physicians to peer directly into patients' blood vessels and find
dangerous cholesterol-filled plaques before they rupture and cause a
heart attack. In animal tests, the new technique improved cholesterol
detection by 79 percent. The research will be presented in March at the
American Chemical Society national meeting in Chicago. (Photo Courtesy of David Cormode)

Release: Molecular tools make the cut
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, March 25, 9:30 a.m., Central Time
The scissor-like molecular machine extendsor folds in response to different wavelengths of light.Researchers in Japan have developed
a pair of molecular-scale scissors that open and close in response to
light. The tiny scissors are the first example of a molecular machine
capable of mechanically manipulating molecules by using light, the
scientists say. The scissors measure three nanometers in length, small
enough to deliver drugs into cells or manipulate genes and other
biological molecules. The research will be presented in March at the
American Chemical Society meeting in Chicago.(Photo Courtesy of Takuzo Aida)

Release: Ladybugs may be cute, but watch out when they get near wine
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, March 25, 2:00 p.m., Central Time

Researchers have recently identified several chemicals produced by ladybugs that can taint the aroma and flavor of wine. Ladybugs produce a foul-smelling liquid that can be
inadvertently processed along with grapes and taint the aroma and
flavor of wine. Researchers at Iowa State University say they have
identified several compounds that are responsible for the noxious odor,
a finding that could lead to new strategies to eliminate the offensive
compounds and improve wine quality. The study will be presented in
March at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Chicago.(Courtesy of USDA Agricultural Research Service)